Ware-forming apparatus



NOV. 19, 1957 R w WATKIN WARE-FORMING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1952 INVENTOR Robert W. Wufl-xin ATTORNEY Nov. 19, 1957 R. w. WATKlN WARE-FORMING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed. July 30, 1952 INVENTOR I Robert W. Wcrkin.

BY WM'M aww ATTORNEY nited Sates ate WARE-FORMNG APPARATUS Application July 30, 1952, Serial No. 301,635

Claims. (Cl. 25-26) This invention relates to ware-forming machines employed in shaping clay in the manufacture of china ware of various sizes and shapes.

An object of my invention is to improve and expedite the operation of a ware-forming machine of the sort classified as jiggering apparatus by adapting the principle of ware formation by a contoured axially inclined roller into the assembly organization of a machine of that type.

More specifically, an object of my invention is to produce china ware of improved finish and internal structure at an increased rate of speed by using the action of a roller of the above identified sort for performing simultaneously both batting or preforming a charge of clay into condition for forming and the actual forming operation.

.Another object of my invention is so to adapt a roller of the above noted sort in the assembly of the wareforming machine as to obtain a maximum of perfection in its operation.

It should be explained that the mounting and driving means for the contoured roller and other elements directly associated therewith can be incorporated in various ware-forming machines differing from each other in structural form and arrangement. The general principle of the contoured roller. is, however, as disclosed in British Patent No. 621,712 and British Patent No. 657,544. The machine with elements of which the roller is herein shown as mounted and driven is United States Patent No. 2,362,058 to Walter H. Emerson for an improvement in Jiggering Apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings exemplary of the embodiment of my invention:

Fig. I is a View, chiefly in elevation, showing a contoured roller in its operative position with respect to a piece of china ware on which it has acted, driving connections for the roller and means for bringing a claycarrying mold into operative relation with the roller.

Fig. II is a view partly in elevation on a scale larger than that of Fig. I, showing the roller, mold and driving connections shown in Fig. I, certain of the parts being in vertical section to show the contour of the roller and the better to show certain elements associated therewith.

Fig. III is a viewtakenin horizontal section on the line III-III of Fig. II and showing in plan the roller, the immediate operating connections therefor and certain instrumentalities associated with the roller.

Fig. IV is a view taken chiefly in vertical section, showing the mounting means for the roller and a gear which acts directly to rotate the roller.

Fig. V is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, showing an idler gear forming an element of the immediate operating connections for the roller and the mounting means for the idler gear.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 designates the ware-forming roller and 1a the clay-contacting face thereof. Roller 1 of general disk shape is set at an angle to the axis of a vertically movable non-rotating stem 2 and ice a mold carrier 3 mounted thereon. Here it should be noted that the angle of the axis about which contoured roller 1 rotates is fixed, accommodation to different sizes and shapes. of ware being made by changing rollers in a manner to be hereinafter described. A mold 4 on mold carrier 3 is advanced and retracted into and out of operative relation with the contoured surface la of forming roller 1 by means of a roller 5 which rides on a cam track 6 carried by revoluble element 7. In the operation mold 4 is brought so close to surface 1a of roller 1 that there is a batting action on a disk of clay which has been supplied to the mold and the concavity of the ware A is formed against the mold. Simultaneously the roller is 'both rotated and carried around the mold to form the convexity of the ware.

As shown in Figs. I to III inclusive of the drawings, power is transmitted to the roller of the assembly from a main spindle 8 which is rotatable in a non-rotatable casing 9 and which is driven by any suitable means such as the means disclosed in Emerson Patent No. 2,362,058 to which reference has been made above. Preferably casing 9 is adjustable vertically carrying with it the entire assembly associated with the spindle, as also is shown in the Emerson patent. Fixed to spindle 8 to rotate therewith there is a bracket 10, which carries roller 1 and driving connections therefor and which also carries a spray nozzle 11 arranged to deliver a spray of suitable lubricating liquid to the clay-contacting face 1a of the roller.

In adapting a contoured roller to actual commercial practice a difliculty developed and in the solution of the problem so raised my invention largely resides. It was foundby trial that the action of the roller under relative rotation between the roller-mounting means and the mold with the roller also rotated about its axis tends to leave a strained condition in the structure of a piece of Ware, unless there is proper adjustment in the relative rotational speeds of the roller and the means causing effective movement of the roller around the blank of clay on which it acts. Also it is necessary that the roller should have its own spindle in order that it be set at the proper angle to the vertical axis of the mold. Hereit should be noted that the form and arrangement of elements is such that the center of contoured face In lies in line with the center of a mold on mold carrier 3, i. e. in line with the axis of the mold carrier and in line with the axial center of main spindle 8. This relationship is preserved with any change in the size or shape of roller which is used. The roller spindle 12 is rotatable in a casing 13 which has a fixed relation with bracket 10 carried by the main spindle 8, and the roller spindle at its upper end carries a gear 14 which has a meshed connection through idler pinion 15 with a stationary gear 16 fixed on casing 9 which surrounds the main spindle. The action is that as bracket 10 carries roller 1, and roller spindle 12 with gear 14 and idler pinion 15 around mold 4, the roller is rotated at an angular speed determined by the tooth ratio of gear 14 and idler pinion 15 with each other and with fixed gear 16. The optimum relation is to have the rotational speed of the roller spindle give a linear speed of the roller slightly less than the speed of the bracket, to give the effect of a slight drag as the forming roller rotates in contact with the clay.

It has been noted that change in the size and shape of the ware which is formed is compensated by change in the size and contour of the forming roller. In my assembly the roller spindle and its associated elements are so formed and arranged that the change in rollers is easily and rapidly made. For this purpose the lower end of roller spindle 12 is provided with a split nut 17, made either of one-piece with the spindle or non-rotatably fixed thereto. Spindle 12 has a central bore extended there- -through and terminating in an upwardly tapered extension 18 within split nut 17. In the central bore of spindle 12 there is a pin 19 terminating at its lower end in a wedge plug 20 which is formed correspondingly to bore extension 18 of the spindle but is slightly oversize with respect to the tapered extension of the bore. The upper region of pin 19 is threaded and carries a nut 21 which bears downwardly on a washer 22 extended over the outer surface of spindle gear 14 to hold the gear against upward displacement.

In changing rollers to accommodate change in the shape or size of the ware being made or because of wear, nut 21 is removed or run back so that it no longer pulls up on wedge plug 20 of pin 19. The pin is then struck at its upper end to drive it downwardly and free split nut 17 from the expanding effect of the wedge plug. Roller 1 has a threaded socket 23 for connection with split nut 17 of the roller spindle. Release of the locking effect of split nut 17 permits the roller to be run ofr the nut for replacement by another roller. When the replacement roller has been threaded to the lower end of spindle 12, split nut 17 is expanded to lock the connection by using nut 21 to pull up on pin 19 and cause wedge plug 20 to expand the nut in threaded socket 23 of the roller.

Both roller spindle gear 14 and idler pinion 15 are change gears to permit adjustment in the angular speed of the roller spindle in accordance with change in the size or contour of the forming roller or if such adjustment be for some other reason desirable. The only connection of gear 14 with spindle 12 is by the extension of washer 22 over the upper surface of the gear and by a spline 24 which holds the gear in non-rotatable relation to the spindle. To remove gear 14 for replacement nut 21 and washer 22 are removed and the gear is lifted from the spindle. Idler pinion 15 is mounted on main bracket 10 by means of an auxiliary bracket 25 of inverted L-shape secured to the main bracket by attaching bolts 26 and its position with respect to the main bracket is adjustable by means of a spacer bolt 27. The change of idler pinions is readily effected by changing auxiliary brackets on which the pinions are mounted.

Previously it has been common practice to direct a spray of moistening or lubricating liquid regulated in quantity at a determined time to the body of clay being formed during relative rotation between the forming tool and the mold which carries the clay. Often difiiculty is caused by faulty distribution of the spray liquid. This problem I solve by taking advantage of the fact that a contoured roller is used to form the ware. In so doing I so arrange and mount a spray nozzle that a spray of lubricating liquid which desirably is of oily content, is delivered to the contoured under surface 1a of the roller. To supply the liquid under pressure main spindle 8 is bored and has in its bore a tube 28 to provide an inner channel 29 and an outer channel 3%. Usually it is desirable to supply liquid by way of the inner channel and compressed air by way of the outer channel. It should be noted that the lubricating liquid is maintained under pressure in its channel 29 as by connection of that channel W1th a pressure tank (not shown), so that the liquid is subjected to the homogenizing effect of such pressure prior to its delivery to the spray nozzle. From these two channels flexible conduits 31 and 32 lead to spray nozzle 11. The spray nozzle mounting 33 is adjustable vertically and swings on L-shaped pin 34 having vertical adjustment with respect to bracket 10. It thus is possible so to adjust'nozzle 11 that the spray may be delivered to any point of the contoured face 1a of the roller, to spread in a film over that surface and thus to be delivered uniformly to the clay.

The several cooperative features of my invention are of primary importance in adapting the principle of rollerforming china ware to practical high production operations. The utilization of mechanical driving connections coordinated to give a slight differential in the speed of the forming roller with respect to the planetary speed at which it is carried around the clay-carrying mold is a matter of primary importance in properly compacting the clay and forming it into ware of the desired shape. The mounting of the Ware-forming roller and the arrangement and mounting of the driving connections for the roller provides for ease and rapidity in changing rollers for different shapes and sizes of ware and for adjusting the rotational speed of a substituted roller in accordance with its particular shape and size. This regulated differential speed leads to improvement in the internal structure of the ware by keeping it free from strains in spite of the high-speed operation by which it is formed. It also is of value in producing ware of smooth flawless surface. Contributing to both these desirable results is the uniform lubrication of the body of clay while being shaped into the form of ware, by directing the spray of lubricating liquid on the roller to be spread uniformly on the clay by the roller rather than by applying the liquid initially to the clay.

It should be understood that elements shown and described in the exemplification of my invention are susceptible of individual and collective modification without departing from my invention as bounded by the claims appended hereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. In forming apparatus for shaping china ware the combination of a forming roller having a contoured workcontacting face, a pin passed axially through said roller, mounting structure in which the said axial pin is revolubly mounted, expansible means interconnecting said axial pin and said roller, means for expanding and contracting said interconnecting means for removal and replacement oi said roller, mechanical connections for revolving said axial pin and forming roller, and mechanical actuating means formed and arranged to carry the said mounting structure for said pin and roller in a circular path and by the said movement of the said mounting structure to revolve the axial pin by means of the said mechanical connections.

2. In forming apparatus for shaping china ware the combination of a forming roller having a contoured workcontacting face, a pin passed axially through said roller, mounting structure in which the said axial pin is revolubly mounted, expansible means interconnecting said axial pin and said roller, means for contracting and expanding said interconnecting means for removal and replacement of said roller, mechanical connections comprising at least one change gear for revolving said axial pin and forming roller and actuating means formed and arranged to carry the mounting structure for saidpin and roller in a circular path.

3. In forming apparatus for shaping china ware the combination of a forming roller having a contoured workcontacting face, a pin passed axially through said roller, mounting structure in which the said axial pin is revolubly mounted, expansible means interconnecting said axial pin and said roller, means for contracting and expanding said interconnecting means for removal and replacement of said roller, actuating means formed and arranged to carry the mounting structure for said pin and roller in a circular path, and mechanical connections comprising at least one change gear between said mounting structure and said axial pin for revolving said pin and said forming roller during travel of the said mounting structure in a circular path.

4. In forming apparatus for shaping china ware the combination of a forming roller having a contoured work-contacting face, a pin passed axially through said roller, mounting structure in which the said axial pin is revolubly mounted, expansible means interconnecting said axial pin and said roller, means for contracting and expanding said interconnecting means for removal and replacement of said roller, actuating means formed and arranged to carry the mounting structure for said pin and roller in a circular path, and mechanical connections between said mounting structure and said axial pin for revolving said pin and said forming roller during travel of the said mounting structure in a circular path.

5. In forming apparatus for the shaping of china ware the combination of a main spindle and a mold carrier cooperatively positioned with respect to the main spindle, a roller-carrying bracket mounted on said main spindle for rotation above the said mold carrier, a forming roller having a contoured work-contacting face positioned on said bracket cooperatively with respect to the said mold carrier at an angle to the axis thereof, an independent axial spindle for said forming roller, and gearing associated with the said spindle of the forming roller and driven by rotation of the said roller-carrying bracket positively to translate rotational movement of the said bracket into rotational movement of the forming roller about its axis and thus directly to correlate those movements, the

said gearing being proportioned to give a slight drag effect in the rotation of the forming roller about its axis with respect to the rotation of the said roller-carrying bracket.

6. In forming apparatus for the shaping of china ware the combination of a main spindle and a mold carrier cooperatively positioned with respect to the main spindle, a roller-carrying bracket mounted on said main spindle for rotation above the said mold carrier, a forming roller havinga contoured work-contacting face positioned on said bracket cooperatively with respect to the said mold carrier at an angle to the axis thereof, an independent axial spindle for said forming roller, and gearing associated with the said spindle of the forming roller and driven by rotation of the said roller-carrying bracket positively to translate rotational movement of the said bracket into rotational movement of the forming roller about its axis and thus directly to correlate those movements.

7. In forming apparatus for the shaping of china Ware the combination of a main spindle and a mold carrier cooperatively positioned with respect to the main spindle, a gear mounted in fixed position around the said main spindle, a roller-carrying bracket mounted on said main spindle for rotation above the said mold carrier, a forming roller having a contoured Work-contacting face positioned on said bracket cooperatively with respect to the said mold carrier at an angle to the axis thereof, an independent axial spindle for said forming roller, and gearing associated with the said spindle of the forming roller operatively interconnecting the said spindle with the said fixed gear around the main spindle positively to cause rotation of the forming roller about its axis directly correlated with rotational movement of the said bracket, the said gearing being proportioned to give a slight drag effeet in the rotation of the forming roller about its axis with respect to the rotation of the said roller-carrying bracket.

8. In forming apparatus for the shaping of china ware the combination of a main spindle and a mold carrier cooperatively positioned with respect to the main spindle, a gear mounted in fixed position around the said main spindle, a roller-carrying bracket mounted on said main spindle for rotation above the said mold carrier, a form- 6 ing roller having a contoured work-contacting face positioned on said bracket cooperatively with respect to the said mold carrier at an angle to the axis thereof, an independent axial spindle for said forming roller, and gearing associated with the said spindle of the forming roller operatively interconnecting the said spindle with the said fixed gear around the main spindle positively to cause rotation of the forming roller about its axis directly correlated with rotational movement: of the said bracket.

9. In forming apparatus for china ware the combination of a mold carrier, a main driven spindle positioned cooperatively with respect to said mold carrier, a rollercarrying bracket mounted on said main spindle for rotation above the said mold carrier, a forming roller having a contoured Work-contacting face carried by said bracket and positioned thereon to present its Work-contacting face operatively to the mold carrier at an angle to the axis thereof, an independent axial spindle for said forming roller, a fixed gear surrounding said main spindle, and gearing carried by the said bracket and connected with the said axial spindle of the forming roller comprising a pinion meshing with the said fixed gear mechanically and positively to translate rotational movement of the said bracket into rotational movement of the forming roller about its axis and thusdirectly to correlate those movements.

10. In forming apparatus for china Ware the combination of a mold carrier, a main driven spindle positioned cooperatively with respect to said mold carrier, a rollercarrying bracket mounted on said main spindle for rotation above the said mold carrier, a forming roller having a contoured work-contacting face carried by said bracket and positioned thereon to present its work-contacting face operatively to the mold carrier at an angle to the axis thereof, an independent axial spindle for said forming roller, a fixed gear surrounding said main spindle,

, and gearing carried by the said bracket and connected with the said axial spindle of the forming roller comprising a pinion meshing with the said fixed gear mechanically and positively to translate rotational movement of the said bracket into rotational movement of the forming roller about its axis and thus directly to correlate those movements, the said gearing being proportioned to give a slight drag effect in the rotation of the forming roller about its axis with respect to the rotation of the said roller-carrying bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

